"I don't see how the party that says it's the party of the family is going to adopt an immigration policy which destroys families that have been here a quarter century," he said. "And I'm prepared to take the heat for saying let's be humane in enforcing the law without giving them citizenship, but by finding a way to create legality so that they are not separated from their families."

The whoosh you hear is the collective gasp of horror emanating from many an American living room.

Strange, because that was pretty much the position of conservative icon Ronald Reagan, who in a 1984 debate with Democratic nominee Walter Mondale said he was an advocate of "amnesty for those who have put down roots and lived here, even though sometime back they may have entered illegally." Reagan, of course, would be too flexible, too accommodating, one dare says too liberal for a goodly portion of today's GOP.

As is Gingrich's fellow candidate Rick Perry, who similarly lost style points when he reminded everyone that as governor of Texas he has supported in-state college tuition breaks for the undocumented, while suggesting that those who felt otherwise didn't "have a heart." Ah, those guys from the U.S. Southwest who actually mingle with Hispanic populations. George W. Bush took a moderate stance on immigration and got the political tar beaten out of him. Ditto for 2008 GOP nominee for the White House, John McCain.

Of course, there is an irrational wing of the Republican Party, for whom anything short of burning every last illegal at the stake is the equivalent of blanket amnesty. The party is at war with itself on this issue - many religious conservatives, for example, believe the deport-them-all stance is a bit much - which can be quite counterproductive at the polls.

Pragmatically speaking, rounding up millions of illegals - estimates of the number have been all over the map, 11 million one day, 20 million the next - and sending them back to Mexico or wherever isn't doable, from a cost perspective if nothing else. There's also an economic competitiveness component to this debate, usually argued by business people who point out that American consumers won't much cotton to paying more for fresh produce, either - even those who hail from Alabama, home of the nation's meanest, most unsparing immigration law. The reality is that the U.S. is in this pickle partly because it lacks a comprehensive immigration policy that both respects the rule of law and provides a reasonable outlet for those who aspire to something greater and have a contribution to make to this country.

Far be it from this page to defend Newt, a loose cannon who can be mighty self-destructive, but if there is anything to recommend him it's his intellect and unpredictability on issues like this one.